A bit of a month

Thanks for reading this month, and for your comments. I've appreciated them all, even though I haven't replied. It's been a very sad time, as a good friend of mine died suddenly in early June leaving her 3 small children and a devastated circle of family and friends. I've not felt much like writing. It was her funeral today, in a meadow on the South Downs, on one of the most beautiful summer days I've ever known. It really was a celebration of her life and the wonderful person she was.

The acetone worked a treat houseenvy - it was like magic. I actually enjoyed cleaning the stairs, seeing it all come off with an easy swipe. I felt like one of those women in the cleaning product ads - it nearly moved me to song after so many other failed attempts! So many thanks for the top tip!

I'm not sure about Real Homes, to be honest. I always have a furtive flick through it in the newsagent to see if we're in, but in some ways I'd be happier for the pictures never to appear. The 'story' about our house for me was always the removal of the monstrous garage and the restoration of the frontage to something that no longer offends the eye. The rest was a bonus. I love the way we've done it, especially having lived in it for a year before we even started - it feels light and spacious, and we've got our bookshelves everywhere and things that mean a lot to us. But it's not a 'designer' or stylist's house, it's just an ordinary family home furnished with random bits and bobs we've collected over the years. I'm not sure it's actually all that photogenic. ( And I'm certainly not!) So I wouldn't be surprised if the pictures never get used. On the other hand our architect uses a lovely photo of our kitchen extension in her adverts in the local monthly glossy property mag, so we are still sort of famous!

It's the third anniversary of our move to the Worst House on Tuesday. It feels like we've lived here forever - and I mean that in a good way!